Ronald Tillery writes a column for a Memphis newspaper called the Griz Insider. He says that the Memphis front office wanted Johnson back but the coaching staff did not because " the coaching staff views him as a high-mistake and maddening player ."

I truly believe we are getting a much more mature version of the JJ that we had before; and a JJ that will buy into the system from Day-1. Caseys system doesn't rely much on cheating or gambling the passing lanes, so assuming JJs on board, I think we'll get a far superior defender and wing-player than we had before.

that's cool, but what makes you think he's going to do all that? he was in the coach's doghouse at the end of the season in memphis too.

Yeah I don't mean to be so pessimistic but what reasons are there to believe that Johnson is truly a changed man aside from the mandatory soundbites from Masai, Casey and JJ this offseason when he was signed?

He played his way into the doghouse in Memphis this year after playing himself out of the entire league the year before. Oh, and he's two months removed from a domestic assault charge. We can talk about his wingspan, his shot blocking abilities, his defensive prowess and what he'll bring to practice all we want but until he displays the skill of not being an idiot I'm going to hold my breathe.

Did he really got himself into a doghouse though? Prince came back from injury and they have Tony Allen, who can't shoot either. You can't have two guys on court who can't shoot. Mike Miller was playing great for them. I mean it's no wonder he got buried on a bench.

Did he really got himself into a doghouse though? Prince came back from injury and they have Tony Allen, who can't shoot either. You can't have two guys on court who can't shoot. Mike Miller was playing great for them. I mean it's no wonder he got buried on a bench.

it's another thing though if he went from big minutes to never playing at all

Yeah I don't mean to be so pessimistic but what reasons are there to believe that Johnson is truly a changed man aside from the mandatory soundbites from Masai, Casey and JJ this offseason when he was signed?

He played his way into the doghouse in Memphis this year after playing himself out of the entire league the year before. Oh, and he's two months removed from a domestic assault charge. We can talk about his wingspan, his shot blocking abilities, his defensive prowess and what he'll bring to practice all we want but until he displays the skill of not being an idiot I'm going to hold my breathe.

Wasn't charges dropped because of lack of evidence or something like that. I honestly think that hte domestic assualt case was BS and was just her trying to milk money out of him through a lawsuit.

Wasn't charges dropped because of lack of evidence or something like that. I honestly think that hte domestic assualt case was BS and was just her trying to milk money out of him through a lawsuit.

Here's what happened as posted this afternoon on the Commercial Appeal (Memphis newspaper):

Authorities have dismissed the domestic violence case against NBA player James Johnson, officials said.

Johnson, 27, was arrested by Memphis police June 7 after an altercation with his wife of two years, Callie Johnson, and her mother. Johnson’s wife called police after he allegedly hit her in the face with an open hand and choked her. Johnson, who was a member of the Memphis Grizzlies at the time, also punched a hole in a bathroom door during the incident, according to the affidavit. He left the scene but later returned to find officers interviewing his wife. She had no injuries to her face or neck, police said. She told police they both had been drinking.

The case was dismissed because Callie Johnson did not show up in court, said Vince Higgins, spokesman for the Shelby County District Attorney’s office.

Man he's good at what we know he's good at (defense, spot scoring, shot-blocking) but I see myself becoming ridiculously annoyed of him halfway through the year. Terrible shooting mechanics, low IQ, cheated like crazy on that pick.... Let's hope he's on a short leash